Preble County Farm Bureau is building a community of farmers and nonfarmers with its Grow It Know It seminars, designed to help people grow their skills in areas such as gardening, food preservation, cooking and sewing.

Ohio Farm Bureau’s Sandy Kuhn is leading the effort to take the organization’s Advisory Council program back to its roots — connecting people to make a difference on the issues that impact their way of life.

Many Ohio counties defined as “rural” by methods applied by the State of Ohio and other agencies, are excluded under Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s current definition, which has ramifications for farmers seeking certain types of mortgages. U.S. Sen. Rob Portman and Rep. Bob Latta have led other members of Ohio’s congressional delegation in reaching out to CFPB on this issue.

Three-hundred and sixty-nine Farm Bureau delegates from across the country came together in Seattle in January to determine the policies guiding the grassroots organization in 2010. Among their priorities are national climate change legislation and the federal deficit.